The Third Twin - Ken Follett [77]
“She’s right,” Berrington put in. It was true. Her study would have been fascinating. It was heartbreaking to destroy it. But he had no choice.
Maurice shook his head. “It’s my job to protect the university from scandal.”
Jeannie said recklessly: “It’s also your job to defend academic freedom.”
That was the wrong tack for her to take. Once upon a time, no doubt, university presidents had fought for the right to the unfettered pursuit of knowledge, but those days were over. Now they were fund-raisers, pure and simple. She would only offend Maurice by mentioning academic freedom.
Maurice bristled. “I don’t need a lecture on my presidential duties from you, young lady,” he said stiffly.
Jeannie did not take the hint, to Berrington’s delight. “Don’t you?” she said to Maurice, warming to her theme. “Here’s a direct conflict. On the one hand is a newspaper apparently bent on a misguided story; on the other a scientist after the truth. If a university president is going to buckle under that kind of pressure, what hope is there?”
Berrington was exultant. She looked wonderful, cheeks flushed and eyes flashing, but she was digging her own grave. Maurice was antagonized by every word.
Then Jeannie seemed to realize what she was doing, for she suddenly changed tack. “On the other hand, none of us wants bad publicity for the university,” she said in a milder voice. “I quite understand your concern, Dr. Obeli.”
Maurice softened immediately, much to Berrington’s chagrin. “I realize this puts you in a difficult position,” he said. “The university is prepared to offer you compensation, in the form of a raise of ten thousand dollars a year.”
Jeannie looked startled.
Berrington said: “That ought to enable you to get your mother out of that place you’re so worried about.”
Jeannie hesitated only for a moment. “I’d be deeply grateful for that,” she said, “but it wouldn’t solve the problem. I still have to have criminal twins for my research. Otherwise there’s nothing to study.”
Berrington had not thought she could be bribed.
Maurice said: “Surely there must be another way to find suitable subjects for you to study?”
“No, there’s not. I need identical twins, raised apart, at least one of whom is a criminal. That’s a tall order. My computer program locates people who don’t even know they’re twins. There’s no other method of doing that.”
“I hadn’t realized,” Maurice said.
The tone was becoming perilously amicable. Then Maurice’s secretary came in and handed him a sheet of paper. It was the press release Berrington had drafted. Maurice showed it to Jeannie, saying: “We need to be able to issue something like this today, if we’re to kill this story off.”
She read it quickly, and her anger returned. “But this is bullshit!” she stormed. “No mistakes have been made. No one’s privacy has been invaded. No one has even complained!”
Berrington concealed his satisfaction. It was paradoxical that she was so fiery, yet she had the patience and perseverance to do lengthy and tedious scientific research. He had seen her working with her subjects: they never seemed to irritate or tire her, even when they messed up the tests. With them, she found bad behavior as interesting as good. She just wrote down what they said and thanked them sincerely at the end. Yet outside the lab she would go off like a firecracker at the least provocation.
He played the role of concerned peacemaker. “But, Jeannie, Dr. Obeli feels we have to put out a firm statement.”
“You can’t say the use of my computer program has been discontinued!” she said. “That would be tantamount to canceling my entire project!”
Maurice’s face hardened. “I can’t have the New York Times publishing an article that says Jones Falls scientists invade people’s privacy,” he said.